High fiber, high protein, low carbohydrate flour, sweetened liquid, sweeteners, cereals, and methods for production thereof

Abstract

A technique for processing ancient, heritage and modern wheat, grains, seeds, beans, legumes, tuber and root vegetables create baking flours suitable for human consumption. The initial ingredient is incubated to initiate germination and activate internal enzymes and nutrient production for useful enzymes, proteins and nutrients. Germination is terminated and the product wet-milled to fracture or shear the outer hull, exposing the inner grain. The product is mixed with water at varying temperatures during which amylase is added. The mixture is incubated to facilitate saccharification of starches into sugars by the amylase enzymes. The mixture is pasteurized to denature the amylases and the mash pressed and/or strained to separate the liquid and solids. The solid phase is dried and milled into higher fiber, high protein, low carbohydrate flour. The liquid is carbohydrate-rich with substantial fiber, protein and other nutrients dissolved in the solution.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for enhancing protein and fiber content of a starch-containing substrate comprising:
 incubating the starch-containing substrate containing grain, seed, legume or bean kernels having protein and fiber in water suspension at a first temperature for a first period of time to promote an initial phase of germination; 
 following the first period of time, flushing the water used in the water suspension and maintaining hydration of the starch-containing substrate at a second temperature for a second period of time to germinate the grain, seed, legume or bean kernels to provide a partially germinated substrate that has acrospires having an average length no longer than ¼ to ⅓ the length of the grain, seed, legume or bean kernels; 
 following the second period of time, milling the partially germinated substrate to fracture the grain, seed, legume or bean kernels so as to release the starch for saccharification; 
 heating a mixture of water and the milled partially germinated substrate at a third temperature for a third period of time to initiate β-amylase initial saccharification of the starch in the mixture; 
 following the third period of time, heating the mixture to a fourth temperature for a fourth period of time, the fourth temperature being greater than the third temperature, to thereby initiate further α-amylase saccharification of the starch in the mixture; 
 following the fourth period of time, heating the mixture to a fifth temperature for a fifth period of time, the fifth temperature being greater than the fourth temperature, to thereby denature β-amylase and α-amylase enzymes and terminate any further saccharification of the starch in the mixture; 
 separating the mixture into a liquid portion and a solid portion; and 
 drying the solid portion to reduce the water content to thereby produce a dried product with enhanced protein and fiber content that can be used for the preparation of foods for human consumption. 
 
     
     
       2. The process of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 prior to drying the solid portion, rinsing the solid portion to remove additional residual sugar; and 
 milling the rinsed and dried product with enhanced protein and fiber content into a flour. 
 
     
     
       3. The process of  claim 1 , further comprising filtering the liquid portion to remove any particulate material and thereby form a sweetened liquid. 
     
     
       4. The process of  claim 3  wherein the sweetened liquid is used as an ingredient in a product selected from a list of products consisting of energy drinks, smoothies, nutrition bars, and protein bars. 
     
     
       5. The process of  claim 3 , further comprising removing a portion of the water in the sweetened liquid to provide a concentrated sweetener. 
     
     
       6. The process of  claim 3 , further comprising removing a sufficient portion of the water in the sweetened liquid to produce a crystalline form from the liquid portion. 
     
     
       7. The process of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 prior to milling, drying the partially germinated substrate to suspend any further germination and place the partially germinated substrate in a dormant condition; and 
 the milling comprising dry-milling of the dried partially germinated substrate. 
 
     
     
       8. The process of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 prior to the third period of time, re-hydrating the dry-milled partially germinated substrate by heating a mixture of water and the dry-milled partially germinated substrate at a sixth temperature for a sixth period of time to prepare the mixture for saccharification, the mixture of water and the dry-milled partially germinated substrate being the mixture used during the third period of time. 
 
     
     
       9. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the foods for human consumption comprise a cereal product. 
     
     
       10. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the starch-containing substrate is wheat, barley, oats, spelt, rye, or rice. 
     
     
       11. The process of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 during the third period of time, incrementally adding amylase enzymes to the mixture. 
 
     
     
       12. The process of  claim 11  wherein the added amylase enzymes are provided by a germinated or malted grain. 
     
     
       13. The process of  claim 11 , wherein the added amylase enzymes are provided by a malted barley or a malted rice. 
     
     
       14. The process of  claim 11  wherein the starch-containing substrate is one or more grains selected from a group of grains consisting of wheat, barley, rye, oats, buckwheat, rice, wild rice, couscous, corn, sorghum, amaranth, tritcale, flax, teff, millet, kasha, quinoa, and kernza. 
     
     
       15. The process of  claim 11  wherein the starch-containing substrate is one or more legumes selected from a group of legumes consisting of beans, lentils, peas, peanuts, and lupins. 
     
     
       16. The process of  claim 1  wherein the process comprising one or more of the following:
 a) the first period of time extends from 10 to 14 hours; 
 b) the second period of time extends from 12 to 24 hours; 
 c) the first temperature ranges from 55-70° F.; or 
 d) the second temperature does not exceed 74° F. 
 
     
     
       17. The process of  claim 1  wherein the fifth period of time extends from 5 to 10 minutes and the fifth temperature ranges from 198-200° F.